Heating Pad Applicable to Induction Cooker

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a heating pad which is applicable to an induction cooker and includes a pad body and a metal sheet held in the pad body. A lower portion of the pad body is adapted to be sucked on a furnace surface of the induction cooker, and an upper portion of the pad body is adapted to carry a container. 
     During the container and the heating pad placed on the induction cooker and the induction cooker turned on, the metal sheet will be heated by coils in the induction cooker, so that foods in the container can be cooked. Because of the heating pad, the container can be securely laid on the induction cooker for heating and easily removed from the induction cooker.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a heating pad and, more particularly, to a heating pad which allows a container to be stably placed on and cooked by an induction cooker.

2. Description of the Related Art

As one common household cooking utensil, an induction cooker is used to heat foods held in one container which is manufactured with a metallic magnetic-conductivity material such as cast iron, iron, or steel. With a container laid on an induction cooker and detected by a detection device of the induction cooker, coils inside the induction cooker will be activated to generate eddy current on the container's lower portion and thermal efficiency for foods heated in the container. However, the container placed on a plane furnace surface of the induction cooker is easily slid, deserving to be noted by one consumer for any possibility of the container turned over.

It is possible to result in an accident of one user scalded by the container which is filled with hot soup and dropped or turned over from the induction cooker.

Therefore, there is one demand to provide a heating pad used in stabilizing a container placed on and heated by a cooking utensil such as an induction cooker without any sliding.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Thus, an objective of the present invention is to provide a heating pad applicable to an induction cooker to improve the aforementioned problems. The heating pad of the present invention is adapted to be sucked on an induction cooker and to be placed on by a container. Because of the heating pad, one container can be securely laid on the induction cooker for heating. Furthermore, the heating pad allows the container to be easily removed from the induction cooker.

To achieve this and other objectives, a heating pad applicable to an induction cooker of the present invention includes a pad body and a metal sheet which is held in the pad body. The pad body includes spaced lower and upper portions, a peripheral wall interconnected between the lower and upper portions, and a cavity defined by the lower and upper portions and the peripheral wall. A circumference rim around the lower portion of the pad body protrudes from the peripheral wall and is cambered downward so that a lower surface of the lower portion of the pad body is adapted to suck on an induction cooker. The upper portion of the pad body is adapted to carry a container. The metal sheet is received in the cavity of the pad body and includes a lower face in contact with the lower portion of the pad body and an upper face in contact with the upper portion of the pad body.

In a preferred form, a handle is extended outwardly from the peripheral wall of the pad body, and a rib is connected between the handle and the circumference rim of the lower portion of the pad body, so that the circumference rim of the lower portion of the pad body is driven to move upwards when the handle is pulled by one user.

In a preferred form, a circumference rim around the upper portion of the pad body protrudes from the peripheral wall and is cambered upwards so that the container can suck on the upper portion of the pad body.

The present invention will become clearer in light of the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments of this invention described in connection with the drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The illustrative embodiments may best be described by reference to the accompanying drawings where:

FIG. 1 is an exploded, perspective view of a heating pad according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the heating pad of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view of the heating pad of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is an illustration of the heating pad of FIG. 1 being sucked on an induction cooker, with a container placed on the heating pad.

FIG. 5 is an illustration of the container of FIG. 4 being removed from the heating pad.

FIG. 6 shows a cross sectional view of a second embodiment of a heating pad of the present invention.

FIG. 7 shows a cross sectional view of a third embodiment of a heating pad of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

A heating pad of a first embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIGS. 1 through 5 of the drawings and generally designated 10. The heating pad 10 is used to carry a container 12 such as a pan and is applicable to position on a support like an induction cooker 14. Because of the effect of the heating pad 10, the container 12 can be securely placed on the induction cooker 14 for heating.

The heating pad 10 of the present invention includes a pad body 16 and at least one metal sheet 18. The pad body 16 is manufactured with a flexible material such as a silicon rubber. The pad body 16 includes lower and upper portions 20 and 22 spaced in a thickness direction, a peripheral wall 24 interconnected between the lower and upper portions 20 and 22, and a cavity 26 defined by the lower portion 20, the upper portion 22 and the peripheral wall 24. In this embodiment, a circumference rim 28 around the lower portion 20 of the pad body 16 is radially protruded from the peripheral wall 24 and is bended downward to be cambered for the lower portion 20 of the pad body 16 acting as a chuck. As a result, a lower surface 29 of the lower portion 20 of the pad body 16 can be sucked on a furnace surface of the induction cooker 14. Furthermore, a circumference rim 30 around the upper portion 22 of the pad body 16 radially protrudes from the peripheral wall 24 and is bended upward to be cambered for the upper portion 22 of the pad body 16 acting as another chuck to carry and position the container 12. In this embodiment, the heating pad 10 further includes a through-hole 32 formed in a center of each of the lower and upper portions 20 and 22, a handle 34 extending outwardly from the peripheral wall 24 of the pad body 16, and a rib 36 connected between the handle 34 and each of the circumference rims 28 and 30 of the lower and upper portions 20 and 22 of the pad body 16. The circumference rims 28 and 30 of the lower and upper portions 20 and 22 of the pad body 16 are driven to move with the handle 34 pulled by one user but rebounded with the pulling force on the handle 34 gone.

The metal sheet 18 is manufactured with a metallic magnetic-conductivity material such as iron, steel, or cast iron. The metal sheet 18 is received in the cavity 26 of the pad body 16 with a lower face 38 of the metal sheet 18 contacting the lower portion 20 of the pad body 16 and with an upper face 40 of the metal sheet 18 contacting the upper portion 22 of the pad body 16. In this embodiment, a plurality of apertures 41 as heat sinks is formed in the metal sheet 18.

During application of the heating pad 10, the lower portion 20 of the pad body 16 is placed on the furnace surface of the induction cooker 14, and the pad body 16 is pressed for the lower surface 29 of the pad body 16 against the furnace surface of the induction cooker 14, so that the heating pad 10 is sucked and fixed on the furnace surface of the induction cooker 14. Then, the container 12 is laid on the upper portion 22 of the pad body 16 for the container 12 adhering and positioned to the upper portion 22 of the pad body 16 and, thus, stably located on the induction cooker 14. With the induction cooker 14 turned on, the metal sheet 18 of the heating pad 10 will be detected by a detection device in the induction cooker 14, and coils inside the induction cooker 14 is activated to heat the metal sheet 18. The heated metal sheet 18 is capable of transferring heat to the container 12 and foods inside the container 12 to be cooked. On the other hand, the handle 34 can be pulled to move the circumference rims 28, 30 of the pad body 16 (see an arrow 42 of FIG. 4), so that the sucking force of the pad body 16 is eliminated. Thus, the pad body 16 and/or the container 12 can be easily removed from the induction cooker 14 (as shown in an arrow 44 of FIG. 5).

In this embodiment, the 0.1-10 mm thick lower portion 20 of the pad body 16 is effective in heat insulation and allows the metal sheet 18 of the heating pad 10 to be detected by the detection device in the induction cooker 14. Furthermore, the through-hole 32 in the upper portion 22 of the pad body 16 allows the container 12 on the heating pad 10 to contact with the metal sheet 18.

FIG. 6 shows a heating pad 10 of a second preferred embodiment of the present invention modified from the first embodiment. Description of the parts of heating pad 10 shown in FIG. 6 identical to those shown in FIG. 3 is omitted. In particular, the lower portion 20 of the pad body 16 does not include the through-hole 32. FIG. 7 shows a heating pad 10 of a third preferred embodiment of the present invention modified from the first embodiment. In particular, there is no through-hole 32 is formed in each of the lower and upper portions 20 and 22 of the pad body 16. Further, the upper portion 22 of the pad body 16 does not include circumference rim 30 protruding from peripheral wall 24, and two handles 34 are provided on two corresponding sides of the upper portion 22 of the pad body 16 respectively.

Thus since the invention disclosed herein may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or general characteristics thereof, some of which forms have been indicated, the embodiments described herein are to be considered in all respects illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is to be indicated by the appended claims, rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are intended to be embraced therein. 

1. A heating pad applicable to an induction cooker, comprising: a pad body including spaced lower and upper portions, a peripheral wall interconnected between the lower and upper portions, and a cavity defined by the lower and upper portions and the peripheral wall, with a circumference rim around the lower portion of the pad body protruding from the peripheral wall and being cambered downward so that a lower surface of the lower portion of the pad body is adapted to suck on an induction cooker, with the upper portion of the pad body is adapted to carry a container; and a metal sheet received in the cavity of the pad body and including a lower face in contact with the lower portion of the pad body and an upper face in contact with the upper portion of the pad body.
 2. The heating pad according to claim 1, with a handle extended outwardly from the peripheral wall of the pad body, and with a rib connected between the handle and the circumference rim of the lower portion of the pad body so that the circumference rim of the lower portion of the pad body is driven to move when the handle is pulled by one user.
 3. The heating pad according to claim 2, with a circumference rim around the upper portion of the pad body protruding from the peripheral wall and being cambered upward so that the container can suck on the upper portion of the pad body.
 4. The heating pad according to claim 3, with the pad body being manufactured with a flexible material such as a silicon rubber, with the metal sheet being manufactured with a metallic magnetic-conductivity material such as iron, steel, or cast iron, with a through-hole formed in each of the lower and upper portions of the pad body, and with a plurality of apertures as heat sinks formed in the metal sheet. 